Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-14
NORFOLK.
A MICRO NAN Losr IN Tag DISMAL
SWAMP.
Trouble Between the Eavy.Yari Au-
thorities and the Politicians-rhe
Labor Troubles.
[correspondeu zee OF the Rlchmond Dispatch

Correspondence OF the Richmond pispatchi
JANUARY 10, 1897.
On Tuesday night negro tiinber-getter
named Henry Outlaw, working Tor John l..
Roper & Co., Of this city, while returning
from drinking-spree In Gates county, n.
Co., got lost 10 the Dismal swamp between
Lake Drummond and the STATE line. aud
was, il Is supposed, frozen 10 death. on
law was IN company with another negro.
but failed TO keep up with him, and It i
supposed be got out OF the pIrh In TIE
woods which led 10 the timber grtterS
emp, near the lake, and was so submerged
that he could not extricate himself. On nc.
count OF the Ice and rise Of the water in
the swamp the searching parties nave been
unable 10 find The body. Another seateh
party went out to-day. Outlaw Is from
P,rquimans county, n. g., where he leaves
family.
The wTecling.ste1mer job Wilson 70.
turned to TIE wreck Of the Elizabeth this
morning for another cargo OF wrecSage.
The condition Of the sea is very favorable
now Tor wTeeking operations, and the two
steamers at the scene are working day and
night.
A list OF the names OF the destitute
families OF the liie.savers were cablcd to
the owners VI the Elizabeth by Colonel
Lamb last night.
There seems now TO be q conflict be-
tween the naval authorities and til polIti-
clans at the navy. yard about the employ
ment Of men. Naval. Constructor BOwles
recommended the discharge OF two block
makers Yesterday, who are Democrats In
politics, and the employment in their places
OF two blOckmakers OF Republican tenden-
cies. As those ordered to be discharged
and those ordered TO be employed are
equally competent as wOrkmen, Master
BlOckmaker Rev declined TO make the
change. Orders from the Department give
the master-wOrkmen OF the yard authority
to take on or discharge hands. Constructor
Bowles then took the matter i'm his own
hands and discharged the Democrats and
employed Republicans to oil their places.
The leaders OF the psrty have been ap-
pealed TO by those aggTieved, and the mat
ter win be taken to Washington.
The situation at Newport News IS the
topic Of conversation on the streets, and all
sorts Of sensational stories are told. Gene
raj V. -. GIOneT says he examined the ply.
roll Of the railroad company yesterday, and
found that the striking workmen earned
from $13 to $40 week, and that the men
were not compelled TO buy at any store OF
the company, but were paid IN cash, and
spent their money where they pleased.
a Knight-of.Labor steyedore here who
works occasionally at Newport News
thinks that the condition OF the colOred Ia
borers there is pitiable in the extreme, and
as far as he could ascertain they earn on an
average s. a week, and are housed In sham
ties that the winds and rains always pene-
trate. The most OF them appear badly fed
and suffering for suitable clothing. The
agents OF the Old Dominion Line here sent
down sixty men TO Newport News last
night, and could send tive hundred. They
de clare that the statement that their ships
are carrying unloaded freights from port Il
utterly false; they are unloading At both
ends OF the line ana running their ships on
time.
The truckers Of the county report great
injury to the cabbage crop by the late
freeze, and the early crop will be badly cut
or The plants are burnt up and de-
strcyed.
The New York, philadelphia and Nor
folk Railroad Company are mixing ar.
raUgements, says the agent here, for the
erection Of extensive coal piers at Cape
Charles for the supply OF ocean steamers
with coal from the Pennsylvania fields.
In the Corporation Court this morning
Judge Brooke decided the suit OF l.. W.
Roberts against John b. Whitehead, in
which Dir. Roberts claimed the ownership
Of the Norfolk City railway, in favor Of
Mr.. Whitehead.
About 300 negroes assembled on the
wharyes OF the Old Dominion steamship
Company this afternoon, on a call TO go TO
Newport News in the place OF the strikers.
About $50 men went down on the steam
ship Seneca TO discharge her New York
freight at Newport News.
Col. Lamb says the delay in loading vessels
at Lambert's Point was not caused by labor
trouble, there being none at the Point;
that the hands are paid promptly every
saturday AMI arc satisfied with their wages ;
that the delay was caused by the sleet,
snow, and rain to which the ears were eX-
posed on their way from the mountains to
the sea, and which percolated in the coal,
and the whole was frozen into a solid mass.
Hereafter all vessels OF the United State,
navy coming from foreign ports will re.
pOrt in Hampton Roads for inspectiQa by
the naval Inspection BoarG, Il.